Operational Support Wing (OSW) - Deputy Head Special Projects

Job summary

As the Deputy Head of Special Projects, you will support the delivery of critical Communication and Information Systems (CIS) capabilities and assist in managing complex projects within the Vampire Block at RAF High Wycombe. This role requires a proactive professional with strong project management expertise, technical acumen, and stakeholder engagement skills. You will work closely with the Head of Special Projects to ensure successful planning, execution, and compliance with regulatory and military standards, deputising as needed to provide continuity of leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to high-impact CIS projects in a dynamic environment, ensuring operational effectiveness and value for money.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Project Delivery: Support the definition, scoping, and delivery of CIS projects in Vampire Block, ensuring they meet customer expectations, provide value for money, and are effectively planned, monitored, and reported. Act as the lead in these areas when deputising for the Head of Special Projects.

Technical Expertise: Provide guidance in the design, development, and implementation of CIS capabilities, leveraging the latest technologies to enhance security and operational effectiveness. Ensure technical continuity when covering for the Head of Special Projects.

Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders through clear communication and diligent progress reporting. Represent the Head of Special Projects in meetings and engagements when required.

Team Leadership: Support and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, maintaining focus, resolving conflicts, and driving efficient project delivery. Assume leadership responsibilities in the Head’s absence.

Risk and Compliance Management: Assist in identifying, assessing, and mitigating technical, financial, and commercial risks. Ensure compliance with military standards and regulations (JSP440, JSP604, and JSP453) while acting as the primary risk owner when deputising.

Financial Oversight: Support the management of unit financial lines, ensuring expenditures align with budgets and RAF financial policies. Deputise for financial decision-making where required.

Personnel Management: Provide leadership and mentoring to team members, supporting professional development. Deputise for the Head of Special Projects in line management duties when necessary.

Standards and Health & Safety: Ensure CIS installations comply with regulatory requirements, promote health and safety compliance, and uphold environmental protection standards. Act as the principal liaison with SCIDA when covering for the Head of Special Projects.

Continuous Improvement: Stay informed of advancements in project management practices, CIS technologies, and emerging trends to continuously enhance delivery and capabilities. Support and lead improvement initiatives in the Head’s absence.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• This post is Sole UK National only. Candidate's must be willing to undergo a Developed Vetting.

Desirable Criteria:

Professional qualifications:

• Prince2 or APMP in Project Management.
• Quality Auditor Skills.
• Managing Safely and Risk Assessors.
• Defence Learning Environment (DLE) Financial Skills Certificate and Defence Financial Training.
• Demonstrable experience in CIS project management, technical design, and compliance with military standards.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience working in RAF/MOD environments and knowledge of military protocols.
• Proficiency in financial systems (e.g., CP&F) and requisitioning.
• Defence CIDA experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. Please omit any information that could identify you.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and the following:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

At Interview you will be assessed against the following:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Candidates will also be asked questions relating to the submitted CV at application stage.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Sqn Ldr AJ Hawthorn
• Email : alexander.hawthorn497@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

20230523 - RAF Candidate pack Opens in new window (pdf, 522kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)